Dreams & Realities
by SubspaceWarrior
Summary: The morning before Shulk would eventually go to Prison Island, he had a pleasant dream regarding Fiora. What Shulk doesn't know is that it will come true... in a truly unexpected way. (Contains spoilers; if you haven't gone as far as Prison Island's first visit, don't read this)


**Dreams and Realities:**

On the night before Shulk went to Prison Island, he had a pleasant dream, something he almost never had since the Mechon had attacked Colony 9. In this dream, the war against the Mechon was over. Shulk had finally defeated his longtime nemesis, Metal Face, who was Shulk's sworn enemy since Metal Face had killed Shulk's childhood friend, Fiora. Fiora was the first girl Shulk had ever met. Over the years, the two had a strong bond, as noted by Fiora's older brother, Dunban.

Dunban believed that Shulk and Fiora always were the perfect couple. But he also knew they had one flaw. They both had trouble admitting their love for each other to each other. Dunban felt that they had needed the push so they can finally admit their feelings for each other. After all, they both turned 18 one year after the Battle of Sword Valley, in which Dunban had lost the use of his right arm to the Monado.

But sometime after they both turned 18, tragedy struck. Although the Monado was able to harm Mechon, it didn't work on Metal Face. Fiora tried to give her allies the edge, but it failed very miserably, and therefore, cost her her life. As depressed as Shulk became since then, Dunban tried to remind Shulk before he set off on his adventure that Fiora's sacrifice has purpose. She saved the peoples of Colony 9 from complete ruin. Eventually, Shulk began his adventure to exact revenge on Metal Face for what he did to Fiora.

Shulk had his same-gendered best friend, Reyn, to accompany him that day, since Dunban needed to recover. Eventually, Dunban rejoined the group for the remainder of the adventure. As well, they also met three more people to accompany them. Sharla, a sharpshooter and medical expert who hailed from what used to be Colony 6; Riki, a Nopon who was chosen as this year's Legendary Heropon; and Melia, a girl that Shulk and the others had met in Makna Forest, before learning that she is the princess of the High Entia, but was soon destined to become Empress, succeeding her father, Emperor Sorean Antiqua.

They had all done their part to help Shulk destroy Metal Face and avenge Fiora. As Shulk was following his companions home, he heard a voice he never thought he'd ever hear again. "There you are, Shulk!" said the voice. Shulk turned around, and discovered, much to his surprise, a girl being resurrected before his eyes.

"F-Fiora?" Shulk asked.

"Yes. It's me. It feels good to be alive again." Fiora replied with a smile. Shulk and Fiora were just happy to see each other again, the first thing they did was embrace each other in a hug.

"Fiora? I... I missed you." Shulk said.

"I know how you feel. When I was dead, I missed you, too. I'm honestly not sure how I'm resurrected, but that doesn't matter. As long as we get to see each other again." Fiora replied with a smile.

"I took care of the Mechon with the metal face. The one that..." Shulk said glumly.

"The one that killed me? Yes. I saw that before I was resurrected. And I will say, thank you for avenging me." Fiora smiled.

As Shulk and Fiora continued to walk across the Bionis' Leg, which was much more peaceful than ever... "The breeze feels so good, doesn't it?" Fiora asked.

"Yes. And this time, moments like these will last forever." Shulk replied.

"Mm." Fiora agreed.

After a bit, Shulk and Fiora were figuring out what to say next. "Fiora?" Shulk asked. "Shulk?" Fiora asked at the same time.

"Fiora? I... I was wanting to say this before the Mechon attack, but... I... I love you." Shulk nervously said.

"Truly?" Fiora asked. "Truly." Shulk replied.

"Well... I love you, too, Shulk. Always have. Always will." Fiora calmly said. Shulk felt a great deal of pressure lift from him.

"Shulk? I hope you will always remember this as the day we reunited. Promise me you will remember?" Fiora requested.

"It's a promise." Shulk replied.

After a bit... Shulk woke up on a starting sunrise. He yawned as he was getting up. He found himself in Whitewing Palace in Alcamoth, where he was brought to after Melia went to inform her father the news of the Leone Telethia's extermination. His companions were still sleeping... save for Dunban, who wasn't in his sleeping bag. And Melia, who was sleeping somewhere else, due to her High Entia Royalty Lineage. As Shulk was wondering where Dunban was, he saw Dunban looking out the window.

"Good morning, Dunban." Shulk said as he approached him.

"Good morning, Shulk." Dunban replied.

"I noticed you were looking out the window as I woke up." Shulk said.

"Well... yes. I'd rather not continue to mourn her death, considering her sacrifice wasn't in vain, but... I still miss my little sister." Dunban was referring to Fiora.

"Yeah. Me, too. But you would not believe what I'm going to say." Shulk said.

"Oh? I'm all ears." Dunban said.

As the sun continued to rise, Shulk was explaining his dream. "So... Fiora was mysteriously resurrected after we took down that Mechon with the metal face? The one that killed her in the first place?" Dunban asked.

"Yes. It's rare for me to get a good dream these days. But as much as I would like to wish for it to come true... We both know it's impossible." Shulk said.

"Yes. If the Mechon had never attacked Colony 9, Fiora would still be with us, and we'd never be here." Dunban said.

"Yes. But because of that, we still had positive things on our adventure. Like our new companions." Shulk said.

"Agreed. Sharla, Riki, and Melia. If Fiora were with us, she'd get along with them, no doubt about it." Dunban said.

"But alas, the only time we'll ever see her again is if we pass on. And I'd rather not think of that so soon." Shulk shuddered.

"Agreed. Right now, we have to work towards building a bright future. No doubt, it would be brighter if Fiora were still with us, but we have to make it as bright as possible." Dunban said.

"Yes. After all, we have to attend tonight's banquet, as Melia had invited us. Afterwards, we'll have to go to Prison Island to acquire the power to harm Faced Mechon." Shulk said.

"Yes. And once we take care of Metal Face, Fiora can finally rest in peace." Dunban said.

As the conversation was finishing up, the sun had risen in the sky. "Looks like morning has risen. And I see the peoples of Alcamoth getting up and about." Shulk said. Indeed, High Entia and Nopon were walking around in the city.

"It's time to wake our companions up. Especially since Melia will be waiting for us in her Imperial Villa." Dunban replied.

"Right. Rise and shine, everyone." Shulk said.

Reyn yawned while moaning the words "Just a couple more... minutes..." Riki, who had gotten up, was giggling at Reyn's words.

"Oh, come on, you buffoon." Sharla giggled as she was hauling Reyn up. Shulk was giggling at the gang's antics while they prepare to meet Melia in the Imperial Villa for the night's banquet before they head to Prison Island.

Little did Shulk and the others know that they'll have to go sooner rather than later. And little did Shulk especially know that Fiora wasn't dead after all. Rather, Fiora had been resurrected through mysterious means, and she had found her body inside the body of a machine. In other words, she was part of a Faced Mechon. But what made the situation worse for Fiora was that she felt like someone had complete control over her body... from within. This mysterious being was controlling Fiora's every word and action. The only thing Fiora still had control of... was her own soul, struggling to regain control.

At one point, Fiora had a thought that frightens her. "When I regain control of my body... I have to see Shulk again. ...But wait... What would Shulk think of what I had become? I hope he won't reject me because of this... ...What would Dunban think of me? To think I had become... the very thing that I oppose?" Fiora felt very conflicted in thoughts as she had become an unwilling servant to the enemy.

"Lady Meyneth?" Fiora heard a woman's voice sound like it was talking to her.

"Yes?" said the voice of the soul that's controlling Fiora's body from within.

"This is where our mission begins. We have to put a stop to his madness before he destroys everything. It starts here, Lady Meyneth." said the woman who looked like she was talking to Fiora.

"Don't worry, Vanea. I will convince him that his actions are not what I wanted, even though he claims to fight on behalf of me." said the soul controlling Fiora's body.

"Lady Meyneth? Vanea? What is going on? Oh, I hope I can regain control of my body soon..." Fiora's soul thought as she continues to struggle to regain control of her body from whoever this "Meyneth" is.

Shulk did dream about reuniting with Fiora. What he doesn't know, or foresee, is that that dream actually will come true, just in a rather unexpected way. This is where the story will end.


End file.
